1. Field of Use
This disclosure is generally directed to a method and apparatus for the delivery of chelating agents to improve fuser member life.
2. Background
An image-forming or marking device, includes, but is not limited to, an electrostatographic, electrophotographic and/or xerographic device. In one embodiment, the marking apparatus or device employs a photoconductive component, for example a photosensitive belt or drum. The photoconductive member moves to advance successive portions sequentially through the various processing stations of the marking device disposed about the path of the photoconductive member.
Initially, a portion of the photoconductive surface passes through a charging station. At the charging station, the portion of the photoconductive member is charged, for example, by one or more corona-generating devices to a relatively high, substantially uniform potential.
Next, the charged portion of the photoconductive surface is advanced through an imaging station. At the imaging station, an original document is positioned on a scanning device such as a raster input scanner (RIS), a device known in the art. The RIS captures the entire image from the original document and with an imaging module records an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive surface of the photoconductive member. The imaging station may include, for example, a raster output scanner (ROS). The ROS lays out the electrostatic latent image in a series of horizontal scan lines with each line having a specified number of pixels per inch. Other types of imaging systems may also be used employing, for example, a pivoting or shiftable LED write bar or projection LCD (liquid crystal display) or other electro-optic display as the “write” source.
Thereafter, the photoconductive member advances the electrostatic latent image recorded thereon to a development station. At the development station, toner is applied to the electrostatic latent image to form a toner powder image on the photoconductive member surface. Any suitable development system may be used including magnetic brush developers, hybrid jumping developers, cloud developers, liquid developers and the like. The toner may be supplied from a developer comprised of the toner and carrier particles, or may be just a liquid or solid toner. Thus, at the development station, developer material is brought near the electrostatic latent image and the latent image attracts toner particles, in some instances, from the carrier granules of the developer material to form a toner powder image on the photoconductive surface.
The toned image on the photoconductive member surface is then advanced to a transfer station where an image-receiving substrate such as a paper sheet is moved into contact with the toner powder image. The toner image is transferred to the image-receiving substrate via any suitable process. Following transfer, the image-receiving substrate is advanced to the fusing station.
It is desirable to increase the life of a fuser member without the requirement of a supplemental cleaning solution.